REPOST: Be like MacGyver: 12 pocket multitools for travelers

It can be a bother for the handy man to always carry his toolbox with him, so it’s a good thing pocket multitools were invented. This article from USA Today features some of the best pocket multitools from across the globe. 

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There are times when you need exactly the right tools for the job -- say, an axe for felling a tree or a set of socket wrenches for tuning up your car -- and times when you just need a tool to get the job done.
Welcome to the wonderful world of multitools.

These handy devices pack the better part of your toolbox into pocket-sized packages that you can take anywhere and use any time. Need to saw a couple branches at your campsite, cut some rope and pop open a beer when you're done? How about tightening your snowboard bindings and filing the edges of your board? Some multitools are so well equipped for the task at hand they take the MacGyver out of MacGyvering and are just, well, useful.

Distinct from the Swiss Army knives of yore, modern hinged multitools date back to the 1980s when Leatherman introduced its first Pocket Survival Tool (PST). Instead of the traditional folding knife with tools tucked in the handle, the PST hinged together two handles that, when unfolded, revealed pliers and a dozen other implements, including screwdrivers, can and bottle openers, and a knife.

Since then multitools have evolved into countless shapes and sizes. There are tiny tools for carrying on your keychain, sleek alternatives to the Swiss Army knife and burly beasts that are one step away from military-issue.

Leatherman still dominates the marketplace -- the name "Leatherman" has become a byword for multitool -- and our list reflects that. But other brands, such as Gerber, Columbia River Knife and Tool, SOG Specialty Knives and Victorinox have since carved out niches for themselves. (Try to sell a Gerber fan a Leatherman and you'll see the kind of fervent brand loyalty multitools inspire.)

It can be tough to sort through all the high-quality multitools on the market, so we picked a solid dozen from key-sized on up. Among them, they have just about every individual hand tool you might need on the fly.
There are dozens more out there worthy of the name, so this is just a starting point. Multitools can be very specialized -- there are ones for rifle maintenance, ordinance disposal and electrical work, to name a few examples -- so the key is to think of what tools you actually need and go from there.

Swiss+Tech Utili-Key 6-in-1

It'd be easy to mistake this tiny tool for a key -- and that's the point. Weighing less than an ounce, this key-shaped tool clips onto your keyring, but when opened it reveals a small knife with a half-serrated blade, Phillips screwdriver, medium and eyeglass-sized flat drivers, and a bottle opener. It's not the easiest to use -- watch out for the blade when tightening screws -- but it's a cheap light-use option if your keychain is already over-cluttered.

Sureway International carries an excellent inventory of superior industrial solutions, such as hand tools, safety equipment and apparel, welding products, lighting, and material handling. Visit this website for more information.

Switching to energy-efficient lighting

The start of 2014 marked the end for incandescent bulbs as many countries, including the United States and Canada have started phasing out the traditional lighting fixture. The ban on the old bulbs by governments is based on findings from years ago, when the bulbs were pronounced energy inefficient. The light bulb, which remained unchanged since Thomas Edison patented the technology in 1880, is only 10 percent efficient, the rest of the electricity it uses up is lost as heat.

 

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Some consumers cannot help but express their confusion over the impending demise of the incandescent. After all, this is the lighting that was used by their families for generations. Others, meanwhile, are concerned about the safety risk, high cost, and performance of the replacement technologies.

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Thus, it pays for consumers to know about the various energy-efficient options from trusted distributors of lighting products. Surveying the products of reputable Canadian lighting companies may guide consumers from the rest of the world, as Canada has a headstart in moving away from incandescent. Canadian company Sureway International, for instance, has an extensive array of lighting products that meet today’s energy standards. These include light emitting diodes or LEDs, compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs, and halogen lamps.

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The big switch to energy-efficient lighting may be an ordeal for some consumers, but in the long run, it could actually translate to savings. People would be using nearly a third less electricity after replacing their incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient ones. In addition, the implementation of stricter energy standards would mean more quality products to brighten homes for a long time.  

Sureway International is recognized for its decades of experience as an all-inclusive source of industrial goods and equipment. Its official website features different products that could help consumers decide on the best replacement lighting for their home.